Plectranthus plant named ‘White001’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Plectranthus  plant named ‘White001’ that is characterized by its large white flowers with pink tones, its floriferous blooming habit, its well-branched plant habit, and its vigorous growth habit.

Botanical classification: Plectranthus hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘White001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Plectranthus of hybrid origin and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘White001’. ‘White001’ is grown as a tender perennial landscape plant.

The new Plectranthus resulted from a breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Linbro Park, Johannesburg, South Africa. The goals of the breeding program were to develop new cultivars of Plectranthus with abundant, large flowers with good branching and strong and vigorous growth habits. The Inventors made crosses in March of 2015 between unnamed proprietary plants (not patented) of Plectranthus in the Inventors' breeding program as both the female parent and male parent. The exact parent plants are unknown as seeds were pooled from the crosses. ‘White001’ was selected as a single unique plant in November 2015 from the resulting seedlings of the above crosses.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by one of the Inventors by stem cuttings in December of 2015 in Linbro Park, Johannesburg, South Africa. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘White001’ as a unique cultivar of Plectranthus.

-   -   1. ‘White001’ exhibits large white flowers with pink tones.     -   2. ‘White001’ exhibits a floriferous blooming habit.     -   3. ‘White001’ exhibits a well-branched plant habit.     -   4. ‘White001’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit.

‘White001’ can be compared to the cultivars ‘Plepalila’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,858) and ‘De Wet F’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,501). ‘Plepalila’ is similar to ‘White001’ in plant size, dense and well-branched plant habit. ‘Plepalila’ differs from ‘White001’ in having flowers that are purple in color. ‘De Wet F’ is similar to ‘White001’ in plant size, dense and well-branched plant habit. ‘De Wet F’ differs from ‘White001’ in having flowers that are purple in color.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Disclosure includes but may not be limited to a website listing by Griffin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of a one year-old plant of the new Plectranthus as grown in a conventional greenhouse in an 18-cm container in Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘White001’ commencing to bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close up view of the flower buds of ‘White001’.

The photograph in FIG. 3. provides a close up view of the flowers of ‘White001’.

The photograph in FIG. 4. provides a close up view of the foliage of ‘White001’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digital photography techniques utilized and the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Plectranthus.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of one year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown in a conventional greenhouse in 18-cm containers in Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms from mid summer to mid winter in             South Africa.         -   Plant type.—Perennial, evergreen subshrub.         -   Plant habit.—Upright and well branched.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 42 cm in height and 46 cm             in spread as a one-year old plant in a container.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 10.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to pests             or diseases has been observed.         -   Root description.—Densely fibrous and freely branched.         -   Root development.—5 to 6 weeks to intitiate roots and an             average of 5 weeks to produce a young plant from a rooted             cutting.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem shape.—Quadrangular.         -   Stem color.—Young; 137C, mature; 146C, tinged between 199A             and 199C.         -   Stem surface.—Young stems; sparse to moderate pubescence             with hairs about 1 mm in length and a color between N186A             and 200A, mature; glabrous and very slightly glossy.         -   Stem size.—Lateral branches; an average of 23 cm in length             and 5 mm in diameter.         -   Internode length.—Ranging between 1 cm and 8.5 cm.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem fragrance.—Somewhat mint-like when rubbed.         -   Stem aspect.—Upright, average angle of 40° from main branch.         -   Branching.—4 main stems and an average of 12 lateral             branches per main stem. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate to broadly ovate.         -   Leaf aspect.—Slightly convex.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, upper surface 137C in color, lower             surface 137C, tinged 59A.         -   Leaf margins.—Serrate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf number.—Average of 10 per lateral stem.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface; moderately glossy and             moderately pubescent with soft hairs; about 1.25 mm in             length and 187A in color, lower surface; slightly glossy and             moderately pubescent with very short strigose soft hairs;             about 0.5 mm in length and N187A in color, both surfaces             slightly rugose.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 5.7 cm in length and 5 cm in width.         -   Leaf color.—Young and mature upper surface; 137A, young and             mature lower surface; 137C, tinged with 59A.         -   Leaf fragrance.—Somewhat mint-like when rubbed, typical for             Plectranthus.         -   Petiole.—An average of 2.2 cm in length and 2.5 mm in width,             strong, color 146C and tinged at the top with 137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Axillary and terminal racemes.         -   Inflorescence number.—1 per main stem and lateral stems.         -   Inflorescence fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Flowers last an average of one             week, self cleaning.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 9 cm in height and 8 cm in             width.         -   Flower buds.—Average of 8 mm in length and 3 mm in diameter,             oblong to slightly obovate in shape, moderately pubescent             surface with very short hairs, color 145C.         -   Flowers.—Single, held outward aspect, labiate in form,             average of 2.8 cm in length (depth), 2.4 cm in in height             (vertical) and 1.5 cm in diameter (horizontal) with throat             diameter 2 mm in width, tube portion; 1.8 cm in length and 4             mm in diameter at widest part, average of 26 flowers per             inflorescence.         -   Petals.—5; base fused into tube, 2 petals fused into one             upper petal lobe, two lateral petal lobes and one lower             petal lobe, upper petal lobe 1 cm in length and 1.1 cm in             width, upper petal obcordate in shape, lateral petal             reniform in shape, lower petal orbicular in shape, folded,             margins entire, color; when opening and fully open upper             surface N155B with spots 72B, when opening and fully open             lower surface, throat and tube N155B, both surfaces matte             and smooth.         -   Calyx.—5 mm in length and 3 mm in width, comprised of 5             sepals (2 lower, 2 lateral, 1 upper); rotate and fused at             base, lower sepals; 5 mm in length, 1 mm in width, linear in             shape, narrowly acute apex, entire margins, lateral sepals;             4 mm in length, 1 mm in width, linear in shape, narrowly             acute apex, entire margins, upper sepal; 2 mm in length, 2.5             mm in width, ovate in shape, acute apex, entire margins, all             surfaces are smooth, matte, glabrous, moderately pubescent,             all surfaces when opening and mature 137C on color.         -   Peduncles.—Moderately strong, average of 8 cm in length and             3 mm in diameter, held at an angle of 0° to vertical for             terminal inflorescence and 45° for axillary inflorescences,             slightly glossy surface, 137C in color, surface slightly             glossy and moderately to densely covered with very short             glandular hairs.         -   Pedicels.—Moderately strong, average of 8 mm in length and 1             mm in diameter, held at a 40° angle to peduncle, 137C in             color, surface matte and moderately covered with very short             glandular hairs; 0.3 mm in length and a color between N186C             and 200A. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistils.—1, pistil; 2.5 mm in length and 1 mm in diameter,             stigma; 1 mm in diameter, cleft-shaped and 85B in color,             style; 2 cm in length, N155A, ovary; N155A in color.         -   Stamens.—4, anthers; dorsifixed, short oblong in shape,             average of 1 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width, N77A in             color, filament; 6 mm in length, N155A in color, pollen; low             in quantity, 155A in color.         -   Fruit and seeds.—No fruit or seed development has been             observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Plectranthus plant named ‘White001’ as herein illustrated and described. 